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19 March 2024

Confident England eye fourth Ashes title in row

This composite photo illustration shows Australia captain Michael Clarke (left) and England captain Alastair Cook. (GETTY)

Published
By Reuters

The second leg of an Ashes double-header unique in the 131 years of such contests gets underway in Brisbane on Thursday with everything bar the eternal optimism of the Australian nation pointing to a fourth successive England triumph.

With the dominant 3-0 success on home soil still fresh in the memory, England can justifiably approach a trip Down Under with more confidence than at any time since the 1970s, when World Series cricket tore the heart out of the home side.

The core of an England side unbeaten in Tests this year has very happy memories of their last trip in 2010-11, when they hammered Australia 3-1 to win the Ashes on foreign soil for the first time in 24 years.

That feeling has been compounded by the conviction that they won in England with something to spare and their vaunted batting line-up can only do better than they did in the five home Tests.

"I think Australia will suit our batsmen a bit more than English conditions," England paceman Stuart Broad said last week.

"We had these sort of slow, turning wickets that are quite hard to score on and we've got guys who cut and pull, free-scoring players, and I think our batsmen are very excited to play here and will thrive in the Australian conditions."

And yet, despite losing seven of their last nine Tests and drawing the other two, there is also a growing feeling of confidence in Australia.

The hosts feel the series in England was closer than the scoreline suggested, their batting line-up is more settled than it has been for a while and that if their quick bowlers can fire on the hard home decks, they can really trouble England.

There was little chance that their preparations for the second series could be disrupted as much as those for the first, when coach Mickey Arthur was sacked and opener David Warner was stood down for punching England's Joe Root in a bar.

The excellent bowling performance of Ryan Harris in England was one reason for the growing optimism and the injury-prone paceman articulated the feeling of the Australia camp after the squad was announced for the Gabba.

"It's time we brought the urn home and we know that," he said. "You always have pressure at this level and there is extra after not winning the last few series.

"But if we play our best cricket we will win. We believe in each other."

Australia have been forced by injury to take a gamble on pace bowler Mitchell Johnson recapturing his best form after four years of erratic performances which have made him the favourite target of England's Barmy Army of fans.

In addition, Harris's fragile frame is unlikely to last the full five Tests so Australia will be hoping the recuperation of James Pattinson and Jackson Bird continues to go well.

BAILEY GAMBLE

Another gamble was on the uncapped George Bailey for the vacant number six batting spot and while the 31-year-old does not have great red ball pedigree, he has shown a remarkable ability to step for his country in Twenty20 and one-day internationals.

All-rounder Shane Watson's talent is in no doubt but a hamstring injury has disrupted his preparations and the decision over whether he will be able to bowl in the first Test is likely to be taken on the first morning at the Gabba.

Despite those small flies in the ointment, Australia captain Michael Clarke has been trumpeting the new optimism like a politician on the campaign trail.

"I think the team is in a fantastic place and the feeling in the group is outstanding," he said in Sydney last week.

"I think the boys are flying. They're all looking forward to Thursday week."

The Australian weather means England's preparations have not been perfect but, apart from a calf injury to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, they have not seen much to darken their collective mood.

"As a team, I think we can take a lot of confidence about how we've performed over a the last 18 months or so," said Broad.

"We've had games where we've not been that good but got away with draws when we shouldn't have done. We've got a really steely unit in that changing room."

Jonny Bairstow is on standby should Prior fail to prove his fitness, while opener Michael Carberry looks set to make his Ashes debut at the Gabba with Root moving down to number six in the batting order.

Australia, though, has never been an easy place to tour for any England side.

Their last win at the Gabba came in 1986 and their most recent victory in Perth, venue for the third Test, goes even further back to the 1978-79 tour.

The decision to move the Australia-hosted Ashes out of its proximity to the limited overs World Cup in the cricketing calendar means only 88 days will have past between the two series this year.

There has been no sign of any Ashes fatigue setting in, though, and ticket sales have been brisk for all the matches, which also include Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

"The Aussie public have got an excitement from feeling their side is a bit more settled and are really coming for us," added Broad.

"And we've a lot of confidence in our own ability and I think if I was a fan I'd be really excited about this series, it's going to be extremely entertaining."

Factbox on the five-Test Ashes series between Australia and England, which begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday:

Schedule (times GMT):
  First Test    Nov. 21-25 (0000)   Gabba, Brisbane
  Second Test   Dec. 5-9   (0030)   Adelaide Oval
  Third Test    Dec. 13-17 (0230)   WACA, Perth
  Fourth Test   Dec. 26-30 (2330)   Melbourne Cricket Ground
(MCG)
  Fifth Test    Jan. 3-7   (2330)   Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)
    - - - -
    AUSTRALIA
    Test world ranking: Fifth
    Captain: Michael Clarke
    Coach: Darren Lehmann
    Top ranked Test batsman: Clarke (5)
    Top ranked Test bowler: Ryan Harris (6)
    - -
    2013 form (opponent/venue/result):
    Sri Lanka    Sydney       Won by five wickets
    India        Chennai      Lost by eight wickets
    India        Hyderabad    Lost by innings and 135 runs
    India        Mohali       Lost by six wickets
    India        Delhi        Lost by six wicket
    England      Nottingham   Lost by 14 runs
    England      Lord's       Lost by 347 runs
    England      Manchester   Match drawn
    England      Durham       Lost by 74 runs
    England      The Oval     Match drawn
    - -
    Squad: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael
Clarke (captain), Steve Smith, George Bailey, Brad Haddin,
Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, James
Faulkner.
    - -
    ENGLAND
    Test world ranking: Third
    Captain: Alastair Cook
    Coach: Andy Flower
    Top ranked Test batsman: Ian Bell (10)
    Top ranked Test bowler: Graeme Swann (=7)
    - -
    2013 form (opponent/venue/result):
    New Zealand    Dunedin      Match drawn
    New Zealand    Wellington   Match drawn
    New Zealand    Auckland     Match drawn
    New Zealand    Lord's       Won by 170 runs
    New Zealand    Leeds        Won 247 runs
    Australia      Nottingham   Won by 14 runs
    Australia      Lord's       Won by 347 runs
    Australia      Manchester   Match drawn
    Australia      Durham       Won by 74 runs
    Australia      The Oval     Match drawn
    - -
    Squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott,
Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme
Swann, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Monty Panesar, Gary
Ballance, Michael Carberry, Boyd Rankin, Steven Finn, Ben
Stokes, Chris Tremlett.
    - - - -
    PREVIOUS RESULTS
    Australia v England Tests
    Matches           331
    Australia wins    133
    England wins      105
    Draws              93
    - - - -
    Last 15 Ashes series (Year/hosts/winners/margin)
    1986/87 Australia   England     2-1
    1989    England     Australia   4-0*
    1990/91 Australia   Australia   3-0
    1993    England     Australia   4-1*
    1994/95 Australia   Australia   3-1
    1997    England     Australia   3-2*
    1998/99 Australia   Australia   3-1
    2001    England     Australia   4-1
    2002/03 Australia   Australia   4-1
    2005    England     England     2-1
    2006/07 Australia   Australia   5-0
    2009    England     England     2-1
    2010/11 Australia   England     3-1
    2013    England     England     3-0
    * Six-Test series
    - -
    ** Test rankings correct as of Nov. 16